1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a front spoiler arrangement installed at the front end section lower part of an automotive vehicle body, and more particularly to such a front spoiler arrangement of the type having a retractable spoiler fin which selectively takes an operative position and an inoperative position under control of a drive mechanism.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently a front spoiler arrangement has been equipped to automotive vehicles in order to improve aerodynamic characteristics of the vehicle. The front spoiler arrangement includes a spoiler fin installed at the front end section lower part of the vehicle body. There are two kinds of front spoiler arrangements, one of which is of the type wherein the spoiler fin is fixed in position and the other of the type wherein the spoiler fin is retractable. In the latter type front spoiler arrangement, the spoiler fin can be retracted, for example, during vehicle cruising at low speed or on rough road in which the front spoiler arrangement is substantially ineffective, thus preventing the spoiler fin from breakage due to striking against obstacles on road surface. Such a spoiler fin extends the width of the vehicle body and therefore is required to be supported in at least two positions in its longitudinal direction. In this connection, the spoiler fin is usually supported by two swingable arms which are spaced apart and whose rotation axes are aligned with each other. The two swingable arms are driven by two separately located drive mechanisms.
However, in such a retractable front spoiler arrangement, it is difficult to align the rotation axes of the swingable arms, thereby requiring high installation accuracy. This needs high cost parts and complicated assembly process and increases the number of assembly processes, thereby raising production cost of the front spoiler arrangement. Furthermore, if alignment of the rotation axes of the swingable arms are insufficient, the spoiler fin and the like deflects or breaks down and cannot make smooth projecting and retracting motions thereof. Moreover, such an alignment of swingable arm rotation axes makes the arrangement delicate and therefore misalignment of them tends to occur even in light collision against obstacles.